Who does the Dragon Boat Festival commemorate? What stories and legends are there about the Dragon Boat Festival?

Who does the Dragon Boat Festival commemorate? What stories and legends are there about the Dragon Boat Festival?
The Dragon Boat Festival is the day when dragons fly into the sky, so it is also called the Dragon Festival. Want to know more about the Dragon Boat Festival? May is the time when pomegranate flowers are in full bloom, hence the name Pomegranate Month. The weather is getting warmer. How much do you know about the fifth month of the lunar calendar? If you want to know more about the fifth month of the lunar calendar in 2021, come and have a look at Mr. Shui Mo!

Who does the Dragon Boat Festival commemorate?

Although the Dragon Boat Festival is not a sacrificial festival, there are many historical and legendary figures commemorated by later generations, the most famous of whom is Qu Yuan.
Qu Yuan (c. 339 BC - c. 278 BC) was a native of Danyang (now Zigui, Yichang, Hubei) in the State of Chu during the late Warring States Period and a minister of King Huai of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period. He is a model of a patriotic martyr. Even though he was harmed by evil people, he still cared about his country in exile.
According to legend, Qu Yuan advocated the selection of virtuous people and the empowerment of them, the enrichment of the country and the strengthening of the military, and strongly advocated the alliance between Qi and Qin. He was strongly opposed by aristocrats such as Zi Lan. Qu Yuan was slandered and resigned, and was expelled from the capital and exiled to the Yuan and Xiang River basins. During his exile, he wrote poems such as "Li Sao", "Heavenly Questions" and "Nine Songs" which expressed his concern for the country and the people. In 278 BC, the Qin army conquered the capital of the Chu State. Qu Yuan was heartbroken to see his country being invaded, but he could not bear to abandon his country. On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, after writing his last work "Huaisha", he hugged a stone and jumped into the Miluo River to commit suicide, thus composing a magnificent patriotic piece with his life.
Qu Yuan had always been loved by the local people, so after Qu Yuan jumped into the river, the local people heard the news and rushed to the scene and immediately rowed boats to rescue him, but they were unable to find Qu Yuan's body. To express their grief, people rowed boats on rivers and wrapped rice balls in rice leaves and threw them into the river to avoid destroying Qu Yuan's body. Because of this, the custom of dragon boat racing and eating rice dumplings gradually formed on the Dragon Boat Festival.
Of course, Qu Yuan's story is just a legend formed by combining history. In fact, the customs of dragon boat racing and eating rice dumplings did not originate from this, but Qu Yuan's spirit was integrated with the Dragon Boat Festival to form the current Dragon Boat Festival. In addition, the Dragon Boat Festival also commemorates stories such as Wu Zixu, Jie Zitui, Cao E, and Chen Lin. Among them, the most famous are Wu Zixu and Cao E.
1. The Story of Wu Zixu
Wu Zixu (559 BC - 484 BC), whose name was Yuan, was a native of Chu.
Wu Zixu's father and brother were both killed by the King of Chu. Later, Zixu turned to the light and fled to the State of Wu, helping Wu to attack Chu. After five battles, he entered the Chu capital Yingcheng. At that time, King Chu Ping had died. Zi Xu dug up his tomb and whipped his corpse 300 times to avenge the murder of his father and brother. After the death of King Helu of Wu, his son Fuchai succeeded to the throne. The morale of the Wu army was high, and they won every battle. The Yue Kingdom was defeated. King Goujian of Yue asked for peace, and Fuchai agreed. Zixu suggested that the Yue Kingdom should be completely destroyed, but Fuchai did not listen. The prime minister of Wu Kingdom was bribed by the Yue Kingdom and slandered Wu Zixu. Fuchai believed it and gave Zixu a sword, which led to Zixu's death. Wu Zixu was a loyal and righteous man who was ready to face death with equanimity. Before his death, he said to his neighbors, "After I die, dig out my eyes and hang them on the east gate of Wujing, so that I can watch the Yue army enter the city and destroy Wu." Then he committed suicide. King Fuchai was furious when he heard this, and ordered Zixu's body to be taken, wrapped in leather and thrown into the river on May 5th. Therefore, it is said that the Dragon Boat Festival is also a day to commemorate Wu Zixu.
2. The Story of Cao E
Cao E, a native of Shangyu in the Eastern Han Dynasty (23 AD - 220 AD), was only fourteen years old.
Cao E was originally the daughter of a commoner in Shangyu in the Eastern Han Dynasty. She was very filial since childhood and her father loved her very much. One day, Cao E's father drowned in the river. After Cao E found out, she and her fellow villagers searched for him for several days but could not even find his body. The filial daughter Cao'e was extremely sad and cried along the river day and night. After waiting for seventeen days, she jumped into the river with her father on May 5th. Five days later, Cao E walked ashore from the river holding her father's body, and this became a legend. The story of Cao E was spread to the governor of Shangyu County, who ordered Du Shang to erect a stele for her and asked his disciple Handan Chun to write a eulogy to praise her. Therefore, the Dragon Boat Festival is also a day to commemorate the filial daughter Cao E.

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